{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T16:27:27Z","timestamp":1786552047400,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":64,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1786492800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Drivers and barriers influencing the impact of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) on attendance and retention of pupils in schools in developing countries were examined in this study. A Narrative review was adopted for this study which involved a Literature search of literature published between 2015 and 2025. The study identified Water Availability, Sanitation access, Hygiene Practices, Health improvements, Community involvement, Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) Support, Policy and funding support, Behavior change and Socio-economic context as the drivers of the impact of WASH on attendance and retention of pupils in primary schools in developing countries. Also, Inadequate Infrastructure, Poor design of infrastructure, Poor Maintenance of facilities, Overcrowding, Lack of Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) Facilities, Cultural and Social Norms, Low awareness and Poor Hygiene Behavior, Financial Constraints, Weak Institutional and Policy Support, Environmental Challenges, Household Responsibilities and socio-economic factors and Poor monitoring and evaluation were identified as barriers of the impact of WASH on attendance and retention of pupils in primary schools in developing countries. The study recommends that the collaboration of governments, civil societies, private sectors, and research institutions is crucial as far as dealing with political, economic, and other underlying factors of WASH policies in primary schools in developing countries. This study will provide empirical data for researchers and policy makers towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals 4.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1804891","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T15:27:31Z","timestamp":1786548451000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["A review of the drivers and barriers influencing the impact of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene on attendance and retention of pupils in primary schools in developing countries"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Esther","family":"Adekunle","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Political Science and International Relations, Covenant University","place":["Ota, Nigeria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ferdinand","family":"Ottoh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Political Science, University of Lagos","place":["Akoka, Yaba, Nigeria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Goddy","family":"Osimen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Political Science and International Relations, Covenant University","place":["Ota, Nigeria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Adedotun","family":"Akinola","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Architecture, Covenant University","place":["Ota, Nigeria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100734","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ssaho.2023.100734","article-title":"Neo-liberalism, human capital theory and the right to education: economic interpretation of the purpose of education","volume":"9","author":"Edeji","year":"2024","journal-title":"Soc Sci Humanit Open"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2657","DOI":"10.3390\/su16072657","article-title":"Barriers and challenges affecting quality education (Sustainable Development Goal# 4) in sub-Saharan Africa by 2030","volume":"16","author":"Zickafoose","year":"2024","journal-title":"Sustainability"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"8059","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjgh-2024-018059","article-title":"WASH and learn: a scoping review of health, education and gender equity outcomes of school-based water, sanitation and hygiene in low-income and middle-income countries","volume":"10","author":"Bick","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMJ Glob Health"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0270847","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0270847","article-title":"Necessary conditions for sustainable water and sanitation service delivery in schools: a systematic review","volume":"17","author":"Pu","year":"2022","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2140478","DOI":"10.1080\/27707571.2022.2140478","article-title":"Operation and sustainability of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in schools: evidence from a vulnerable and deprived area in Ghana","volume":"9","author":"Mensah","year":"2022","journal-title":"Cogent Public Health"},{"key":"ref6","author":"Kumar","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.5897\/ISAAB-JHE2021.0073","article-title":"Review of the effects of adequate sanitary facilities on the participation and performance of the school girl child in Ghana","volume":"8","author":"Akanzum","year":"2023","journal-title":"ISABB J Health and Environmental Sci"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1007\/s43621-023-00122-0","article-title":"Factors influencing access to basic water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services in schools of Bishoftu Town, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study","volume":"4","author":"Girmay","year":"2023","journal-title":"Discov Sustain"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"79","DOI":"10.1007\/s44290-024-00085-9","article-title":"Exploring the dynamics of WASH services: challenges, enablers, and strategies for improvement","volume":"1","author":"John","year":"2024","journal-title":"Discover Civil Eng"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e2293","DOI":"10.1002\/hsr2.2293","article-title":"Do school Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene facilities affect students' health status, attendance, and educational achievements? 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